The actress’s next role will see her stepping into the Octagon.
Black Panther star Lupita Nyong’o is set to play a UFC champion in her next movie Strawweight.
According to Deadline, the Oscar-winning actress will star alongside The Peripheral’s Chloe Grace Moretz in the upcoming film, which follows the story of two fighters who find themselves going head-to-head in the Octagon.
Nyong’o will play a former champion who is determined to reclaim her title and relaunch her career while Moretz’s character is a young woman who’s discovered a passion for UFC has changed her life.
The synopsis adds: “Both want the same thing — respect — but only one can come out on top.”
lupita nyongo
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Related: Marvel announces new Black Panther spin-off show
Strawweight will see James M. Johnston make his film directorial debut. Johnston previously worked as a producer for the second unit of The Green Knight, Peter Pan & Wendy and The Old Man and the Gun.
The film’s script has been written by Paul Harrill and will be produced by Midsommar’s Lars Knudsen and Patrick Newall (Extraction).
UFC fighter and former Strawweight Division Rose Namajunas will serve as a fight consultant and executive producer on the film. Further details regarding cast and characters are yet to be announced.
Known for her roles in films The Equalizer and The Addams Family 2, Moretz most recently appeared in Prime Video’s sci-fi series The Peripheral.
While Nyong’o is best known for her work as Nakia in the MCU’s Black Panther films as well as her Academy Award-winning performance as Patsey in Steve McQueen’s 2013 film 12 Years a Slave.
She is also set to appear in A Quiet Place prequel A Quiet Place: Day One alongside Joseph Quinn, with a first-look trailer for the upcoming movie dropping earlier this month.–Digital Spy
